Reflections on Design: The Where and the Why of Mirror Installation

Bought a mirror and have no idea where to put it? We here at Perth City Glass have seen the best and the most creative applications of mirrors by homeowners here in Australia. If you want to take advantage of the mystical quality of mirrors, here are some of our professional tips on where you should, and should not place that shiny new mirror.

1. Small Rooms – Yes

Mirrors work best inside tiny rooms. Installing a large one adds the illusion of depth, while wall-to-wall mirrors adds the possibility of visitors bumping their faces into your wall. We recommend adding something to the surface that signals the physical boundary of the room. Try installing a sconce, or something decorative you want to appear floating.

2. Hallways and Staircases – Yes

Narrow hallways are perfect with long mirrors. They widen the space as well as give a ‘windowed’ feel to an otherwise claustrophobic passage. If you are looking for a bit of symmetry, install a mirror on the wall opposite a piece of art. A painting adds a matching splash of colour to its corresponding space, but we suggest using this only once in your entire household.

3. Ceilings – No

There is no good reason for you to look at yourself while lying on your back. Ceiling mirrors are tacky, outdated, and they pull the eye upwards toward nothing, instead of accentuating a room with a good design.

4. Bedrooms and Kitchens – Eh

Unless you really want to, keep the mirrors out of the bedroom. If you do insist, install them so that they are not the first thing you see when you wake up. Above the headboard is fine. For kitchens, you can actually enhance the look of the room with a few well-placed mirrors. Narrow ones like those in the hallway work great — just avoiding installing mirrors where liquids could splash, it would be extremely high maintenance.

Remember that mirrors work best when they reflect something that works. Smart placement of decorative mirrors can enhance your home more than any other fixture can. Just take note of these tips, and be creative without unknowingly creating a house of mirrors.

Perth City Glass provides smart improvements for your home, contact us to learn more.